Dear Parents and Carers,

A heartfelt welcome back to our Mt A community in 2025! We hope that you have been able to enjoy precious time with loved ones this summer break and have been looking forward to starting the school year as much as we have. There has most definitely been a buzz in the air for the past couple of weeks here, as staff have been earnestly preparing the programs and the campus for what we know will be a fabulous year for students. We only need to look at the outstanding senior outcomes of our class of 2025 to know that the possibilities are unlimited here at Mt A!

I also take this opportunity to formally welcome those families that are new to our college in 2025. It is both a privilege and an honour to have been entrusted with the care of your daughter, and to journey with her on these most formative and character shaping years. At Mt A, we never take this important responsibility for granted. We look forward to connecting with many new and current families at our Parent Welcome Back Soirée this evening. This event will be hosted by members of College Leadership and Extended Leadership Teams, including Heads of House and our members of our Parent Partnership Panel. It is sure to be a fabulous evening to start our year together as a community.

We hope that you found our recent Homeroom Mentor Meetings this week a valuable undertaking. At Mt A we are committed to ensuring that a continuity of care and connection for your young person is in place for their entire school journey and that strong relationships are forged from the outset. As such, we do ask that parents/carers continue to work in partnership with us to ensure that your child is punctual to school each morning for meaningful and purposeful connections and learning in their Homeroom, that they are suitably equipped for the days learning and are wearing the full and correct uniform - details matter! A clear outline of these expectations has been conveyed to all students by Mrs Licina and the Heads of House. As we say, “The standard we walk past is the standard we accept”, and a united approach is required, consistency is key!

Further to this, at Mt A we genuinely value and welcome parent contact and dialogue. We are always keen to deal with any concerns or inquiries you may have in a collaborative, solutions focused way. We truly believe in the strong triumvirate of student, parent and school. It is the strength of this three-way partnership that ultimately fuels a students’ educational wellbeing and success. It REALLY does take a village!

Whilst a rare occurrence at Mount Alvernia College, it is worth noting at the beginning of a new year that any rude, accusatory, defamatory or aggressive emails, communications or social media commentary are not consistent with our Franciscan ethos and will not be tolerated. Our staff are a highly valued and skilled community of educators who work with dedication and care in support of your child, and they are entitled to a safe and supportive workplace. For matters that are sensitive, complex, problematic, emotionally charged or nuanced - a phone call or an in-person meeting are always the optimal approach. I invite you to peruse further our College Communication Protocols and Procedures which are available on the Policies and Procedures Tile on MyMtA. There is almost nothing that we cannot resolve together, when communication is appropriate, and we work in partnership.

This year, we will be guided by our college value for 2025 – Joy. In our College Commencement Assembly for the year, Mr Rogusz poignantly described how this gospel value applies to us in our Franciscan tradition. Joy is an invitation to deepen our relationship with God, with Creation and with each other and to “Boldy seek our aspirations with purpose and meaning, so that we too can live life fully and joyfully”. As an addendum to this, I shared with students how finding your meaning and purpose can be a challenging quest, even for adults! This is particularly true in a world that is saturated with highlight reels, deep fakes, curated content, algorithms and messages that can be unhelpful, unhealthy, untrue or misguided. Our purpose and meaning can only be unlocked when we let go of fear, and judgement, and when we tap into our unique gifts and talents and realise our authentic selves. A beautiful representation of this for me lives in Charlie Mackesy’s stunning book “The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse”

“WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BIGGEST WASTE OF TIME?”

“COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS,” SAID THE MOLE.

In 2025, as we continue to unpack and manifest the meaning of JOY for us individually, as House groups and as a Franciscan College, and as we embrace our Captains motto of Hearts of Joy, Spirit to Strive, I encouraged our students to first be kind to themselves, and to each other and to let go of those things which impede us from being the best versions of ourselves.

Public Service Announcement – Parking and Traffic in our Kedron Neighbourhood.

As we commence the year, we recognise that one of the great challenges in our precinct is the traffic congestion at the beginning and end of each day and parking. We remind parents, carers and student drivers that safety, care and consideration of our neighbours is of the utmost importance. I invite all families to revisit the Traffic Management Plan available on the College Website and to ensure that safety and courtesy is key in these busy collection and drop off times.

With wide open hearts and hands, we welcome our newest members to Mt A, our 2025 Year 7 cohort, our new students joining us in Years 8-11, and our new staff. You are now part of our wonderful community.

Blessings to our entire community for the rich JOY-filled and hope-filled possibilities and opportunities that await us all in 2025.

Peace and all good,

Samantha Jensen

Principal

A special gift to all Mt A Families

From Verve Portraits